5
" Oh, God,” Victoria choked behind him, staring in horror at the white scars that crisscrossed his beautiful back. There were dozens of them. Her fingers shook as she reached out to touch them; the moment she did, his skin flinched.
“Do they still hurt?” she whispered in anguished surprise.
“No,” Jason said tautly. Shame washed over him in sickening waves as he waited helplessly for her inevitable reaction to the stark evidence of his humiliation.
To his utter disbelief he felt her arms encircle him from behind and the touch of her lips on his back.
“How brave you must have been to endure this,” she whispered achingly, “how strong to survive it and go on living. . . .”
When she began kissing each scar, Jason rolled onto his side and jerked her into his arms.
“I love you,” he whispered agonizedly, plunging his hands into her luxuriant hair and turning her face up to his.
“I love you so much.... "
― , Once and Always (Sequels, #1)
8
" Every fop and fool in London has been sniffing after her." Having said that, Jason returned his attention for the report. "Go ahead and read off the names, if you must."
Frowning in surprise at Jason's dismissive attitude, Charles took the seat across the desk from him and put on his spectacles. "First, there is young Lord Crowley, who has already asked my permission to court her."
"No. Too impulsive," Jason decreed flatly.
"What makes you say so?" Charles said with a bewildered look.
"Crowley doesn't know Victoria well enough to want to 'court' her, as you so quaintly phrased it."
"Don't be ridiculous. The first four men on this list have already asked my permission to do the same thing- providing, of course, that your claim on her is not unbreakable.”
“No, to all those four men- for the same reason,” Jason said curtly, leaning back in his chair, absorbed in the report in his hand. Who’s next?”
“Crowley’s friend, Lord Wiltshire.”
“Too young. Who’s next?”
“Arthur Landcaster.”
“Too short,” Jason said cryptically. “Next?”
“William Rogers,” Charles shot back in a challenging voice, “and he’s tall, conservative, mature, intelligent, and handsome. He’s also the heir to one of the finest estates in England. I think he would do very well for Victoria.”
“No.”
“No?” Charles burst out. “Why not?”
“I don’t like the way Roger sits a horse.”
“You don’t like_” Charles bit out in angry disbelief; then he glanced at Jason’s implacable face and sighed. “Very well. The last name on my list is Lord Terrance. He sits horses extremely well, in addition to being and excellent chap. He is also tall, handsome, intelligent, and wealthy. Now,” he finished triumphantly, “what fault can you find with him?”
Jason’s jaw tightened ominously.“I don’t like him. "
― , Once and Always (Sequels, #1)
9
" Was it me you were discussing?” he countered with lifted brows. “I couldn’t tell from the description you were giving. Since when am I kind, considerate, refined, and amiable?”
“You’re angry,” Victoria concluded on a sigh.
A low chuckle rumbled in his chest and his arms tightened, drawing her close to his leann, muscular body. “I’m not angry,” he said in a husky, gentle voice. “I’m embarrassed "
― , Once and Always (Sequels, #1)
13
" As if to banish the terror and pain already screaming through his body, he shook his head, backing away.
“No!” he whispered, and then his voice rose to a tormented shout. “No, damn you! Don’t tell me that—!”
“Jason—”
“Don’t you dare tell me that!” he shouted in agony.
Mike Farrell spoke, but he turned his head away from the unbearable torment on the other man’s ravaged face.
“Her horse threw her off the ridge into the river, about four miles from here. O’Malley went in after her, but he couldn’t find her. He—”
“Get out,” Jason whispered.
“I’m sorry, Jason. Sorrier than I can say.”
“Get out!”
When Mike Farrell left, Jason stretched his hand toward Victoria’s cloak, his fingers slowly closing on the wet wool, pulling it toward him. The muscles at the base of his throat worked convulsively as he brought the sodden cloak to his chest, stroking it lovingly with his hand, and then he buried his face in it, rubbing it against his cheek. Waves of agonizing pain exploded through his entire being, and the tears he had thought he was incapable of shedding fell from his eyes. “No,” he sobbed in demented anguish. And then he screamed it. "
― , Once and Always (Sequels, #1)
14
" He stopped a few inches from her. Brushing back the sides of his black velvet jacket, he put his hands on his hips, his booted feet planted apart, his legs spread in a decidedly aggressive stance.
“You could say that,” he drawled in an awful voice. “Where the hell have you been?”
“At—at Lady Dunworthy’s ball.”
“Until dawn?” he sneered.
“Yes. There’s nothing unusual in that. You know how late these things go—”
“No, I don’t know,” he said tightly. “Suppose you tell me why the minute you are out of my sight you forget how to count!”
“Count?” Victoria repeated, growing more frightened by the moment. “Count what?”
“Count days,” he clarified acidly. “I gave you permission to be here for two days, not four!”
“I don’t need your permission,” Victoria burst out unwisely. “And don’t pretend you care whether I’m here or at Wakefield!”
“Oh, but I do care,” he said in a silky voice, stripping off his jacket with slow deliberation and beginning to unbutton his white lawn shirt. “And you do need my permission. You’ve become very forgetful, my sweet—I’m your husband, remember? Take off your clothes.”
Wildly, Victoria shook her head.
“Don’t make me angry enough to force you,” he warned softly. “You won’t like what happens if you do, believe me.”
Victoria believed that wholeheartedly. Her shaking hands went to the back of her dress, awkwardly fumbling with the tiny fasteners. “Jason, for God’s sake, what’s wrong?” she pleaded.
“What’s wrong?” he repeated scathingly, tossing his shirt on the floor. “I’m jealous, my dear.” His hands went to the waistband of his trousers. “I’m jealous, and I find the feeling not only novel, but singularly unpleasant. "
― , Once and Always (Sequels, #1)
